The Girls Aloud star was due to perform with Gary at a Children In Need charity gig last week but had to pull out due to illness. She is said to have asked the X Factor judge to help hook her up with a ‘nice, decent man’ following her divorce from footballer Ashley Cole.
“Cheryl sees Gary as a big brother,” a source told Now magazine, adding that as a former X Factor judge herself, Cheryl has been advising Gary about his current role.
“They talk at least once a week and she's been instrumental in his X Factor success so far,” added the insider.